Module 10: How to Follow a Style Guide

By dr b, March 10, 2015

For today’s Module, you’re going to get familiar with using a style guide — in this case, MLA. It’s important to note, though, that this isn’t about memorizing a style guide. This is information you can always look up and never need to waste brain cells memorizing. But understanding what kinds of things a style guide tells you is important, and will help you in your life.

The reality is that you will all, at some point, probably have to learn to follow a style guide in your professional life. If you work for a big corporation, a hospital, a newspaper, or any other business that deals with a lot of written material, you will be expected to adhere to certain standards. The reason for style guides is simple: uniformity and clarity. That’s all. There’s no other secret. So if you’re ever in doubt about style guides, just be consistent. But it’s always better to ask and be accurate.